CLARK ART INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES OPEN ACCESS IMAGE POLICY

September 26, 2019

Williamstown, Massachusetts—Olivier Meslay, Hardymon Director of the Clark Art Institute, announced today that more than 2,700 high-resolution digital images of works in the museum’s renowned collection are now available for direct download from the Clark’s website, free of charge.

“The Clark’s central mission is to advance and extend the public understanding of art,” said Meslay. “By making high-quality images of the objects in our permanent collection readily accessible for public use, we seek to provide students, scholars, and art lovers with wonderful tools through which to explore, study, and enjoy these works.”

The images are made available at no charge and may be used for any purpose without requiring any permissions from the Clark. Prior to instituting its open-access policy, the Clark charged nominal fees for photographic reproductions of works in its collection. The number of available images will continue to increase as new digital files are added to the collection database available at clarkart.edu.

Most images are provided in two sizes—a JPEG file suitable for most uses and a larger, high-resolution TIFF file suitable for publication. The works for which high-resolution downloads are available are those that are believed to be free of artist copyright or other known restrictions. Some images may not have a download option available due to copyright considerations or restrictions from an artist, a donor, or related legal entities or because a digital image of suitable quality has not yet been created.

“We are proud to make these works available online and believe that this presents an exceptional opportunity to harness the power of digital technology to share our collection with an ever wider audience,” said Meslay.

ABOUT THE CLARK

The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of more than 275,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.

The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm; open daily in July and August. Admission is $20; free year-round for Clark members, children 18 and younger, and students with valid ID. Free admission is available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; EBT Card to Culture; and Blue Star Museums. For more information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.

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